Chuck and Blair were high school sweethearts. Everyone thought they would be together forever. Some things change though and some people drift apart. It's Christmas and one fateful night will change everything for the young couple. UPDATE! 2/10/09! Chap 8

A/N: Hello everyone! So this is my new story and it means a lot to me! Haha I know that's cheesy, but it really does! Ok a little background on this story! So I got this idea from the movie Three Days which is played during the 25 Days Of Christmas on ABC Family! It's my favorite Christmas movie of all time! Oh so good! Haha! So since I love the holidays I decided I would write a little Chuck/Blair Christmas fanfic! I know brilliant right? Haha! Anyways this is AU since I just love writing those! Haha! Now to the readers of Getting Away From It All, the next chapter will be posted shortly! I know I promised Saturday for a new chapter, but I had to completely re-write it, but now I think I finally have it were I want it so be on the look out! On a side note, all the lyrics I will be using for the beginning of chapters will all be Christmas songs! Haha! Ok my lovely readers I hope you enjoy this story and please review it always means so much to me!! Much love!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Chuck and Blair belong to The CW and the plot is from the movie Three Days from ABC Family!

Summary: Chuck and Blair were high school sweethearts. Everyone thought they would be together forever. Some things change though and some people drift apart. It's Christmas and one fateful night will change everything for the young couple. AU Chuck/Blair.

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Oh, the ocean and the sky

They way we feel tonight

I know that it's the love that brings

The simple things to life

The sun, the moon, the stars

The beating of two hearts

I love the way the simple things

The simple things just are.

-Rebecca Lynn Howard

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Blair Waldorf, twenty-eight and alone, well not alone by the wedding ring displayed on her left hand. It was busy in New York City this time of year. Everyone getting ready to celebrate Christmas that would be coming up in three short days. It was December twenty second and normally she would be with her husband buying their Christmas tree. Not this year though, this year her husband was nowhere to be seen.

She knew he had work to do, him being the new manager of a multi million-dollar company. She knew he had things to do, but most of all she knew he made himself busy. They had eloped right after high school on her eighteenth birthday. They had told their friends that they were taking a road trip, but they ended up getting married. Their friends were shocked to say the least.

Being married for ten years had been tough on them. They had been through many obstacles. The latest ordeal they had gone through though was his father dying. It had been hard on them. They had to fight till the last minute to save their marriage and in the end they had prevailed. They were fighting and inside she knew they were about to lose the battle.

Every year for Christmas, since they had been married they had the tradition of going to pick out their Christmas tree. This year though he had called and said he would be running late. It was really no surprise to her these days though. She had told him it was fine and he didn't even say love you to her anymore when they would hang up the phone. It use to affect her, but it did nothing of the such now. She hid the pain and she did it well because he couldn't even see it.

She walked up to their usual tree place and saw all the couples picking out their tree. She looked down at herself in her usual attire. Jeans and a nice heavy coat nothing special to him she guessed.

"Hello Mrs. Bass. How are you today? No Chuck?" Mr. Carlson was the man who owned 'Trees For You,' he knew them well since they always came here.

She smiled at him. "He's running late he will hopefully be here later."

The man of about seventy years old gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sure he will be here. He's a good man."

She wish she could be sure of that, but she wasn't anymore. She loved her husband more than anything in the world. He had always been there for her and she him. When they had met there had been an instant connection. Their friends Dan and Serena, also high school sweethearts, always told them they would be together forever. She tried to smile back on the memory, but couldn't. Dan and Serena who had been married less years than them had everything she thought her and Chuck would have had by now. They had two darling children who her and Chuck were godparents of. Mark, who was eight and Elise, who was seven. In Blair's opinion they were precious.

Chuck and her had discussed kids many times and every time he would say that it wasn't their time. Blair knew that Chuck didn't want kids and it secretly killed her. Maybe he did and just never showed it, but somehow she knew he didn't.

"Yea, he's great," she finally responded.

"Well tell me if you need any help with the tree," the old man said as he walked away to help another couple.

She looked around at all the trees. There were to many to choose from in her opinion. She walked past all the trees in the front and went straight to the back. The trees in the back never got a home for Christmas and her and Chuck always made sure to pick from the back. The tree that she picked this year probably couldn't even be qualified as a tree, but she liked it. The tree was sparse and not many people would even want it in their home, but she knew this was her tree.

She walked with the tree up to the cashier were Mrs. Carlson was. The old lady smiled at her and she gave her a bright smile back. She could tell the Carlson's had been married for years. In her mind she didn't even know if her and Chuck would last another year.

"Blair Bass it's so lovely to see you this year."

"You too Mrs. Carlson. How's Buttons these days?" Blair asked knowing their dog was a huge part of their lives.

Mrs. Carlson smiled almost shocked that Blair could always remember. "Oh she is just wonderful. Thank you for asking. Where is Chuck this year?"

"Um he's working late. I thought he would be here, but I guess he couldn't make it." She responded putting forth her best smile.

"Oh what a shame. I just love seeing you two. Why don't you take the tree. A Christmas gift from us."

"Mrs. Carlson I couldn't." Blair said.

"Yes you can and you will. Now go home and decorate and tell that husband of yours I say hello."

"Thank you so much and I will." Blair said with gratitude.

She took the tree and walked away from the tree stand. The air was bitter cold and she was glad she had worn a scarf and gloves. She knew it would be a while before she got home and somehow she was glad. She wanted to be alone for a while. She also somehow didn't want to go home and fight with her husband. Yes, this is why she was in some ways alone.

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His office was huge and spacious. He spent Monday through Friday here and sometimes half his weekends would be spent here. His office had three windows, per request, that looked over much of New York City. In his office there was not much furniture. There was a desk that held a Mac computer and a single framed picture of his wife, Blair. Across from the desk where he sat there were two chairs where business deals were usually made. His office didn't offer much and that's the way he liked it.

He was the new manager of Bass Industries. His father had left him the place to his surprise. He had taken over two years ago and had recently put the company back at number one. He was proud of himself that he had taken his company so far. The industry had grown into many branches and he was looking to further extending them. His next stop was Chicago.

"Listen, Peter is it? This is exactly what you need. Great. Yea, I can arrive tomorrow morning. No Christmas plans. Okay see you then." Chuck said as he ended the phone call.

"Impressive Bass," Vanessa commented.

Vanessa Abrahams had been his second hand since June. She had come wanting to know how to handle the business world and he was pretty sure she had learned it all in a few short months.

"I know." He responded to her earlier statement.

"I am actually surprised that the great Chuck Bass doesn't have Christmas plans. Is this how you spend all your Christmas's in business deals?" Vanessa questioned.

Chuck showed a soft smile towards her. "Uh, no actually I usually spend it with my wife," he said while looking at Blair's picture on his desk.

They had spent every Christmas together. As husband and wife they had always gone Christmas tree shopping together on this night, but he had missed it this year for the first time ever. He knew she would be upset and it hurt him inside to think that he left her, but he had to get this business deal worked out.

Since his father had passed he knew they had been drifting further and further apart. They fought constantly and he had gotten tired of it. This being the main reason he spent most of his days at the office. He wished they didn't have the constant fights, he wished they could go back to a time when they were happy, but he knew it would never go back.

"Why not this year? I hear you two are like high school sweetheart or something crazy like that."

"My marriage is none of your business or anyone else's," he said with an edge in his voice.

"Sorry, just something that I heard."

"It's okay," he said after a moment.

He pressed the call button to connect to the main office. "Carol, book me on a flight tonight to Chicago." He told the receptionist.

Vanessa looked at him, "Carol, book me too."

Chuck raised an eyebrow. "Really want to spend your time off at a business deal?"

"Yea, I want to learn everything I can and you are the one I know can make it all happen." Vanessa said smiling at him.

He looked at his watch that told him he missed one of there many traditions. He knew he needed to get home and he also knew that he would have to explain.

"That is true. Listen, I need to get home and pack, but I look forward to seeing you at the airport."

"Bye, Chuck," Vanessa said while walking out of his office.

He watched as she swaggered out and let out a long breath. He always knew she had a crush on him and he knew Blair would not be happy about her coming. He always had Blair's picture up for two reasons. One, to show Vanessa he was taken and two, to always look at her when he was having a bad day.

She was the love of his life and that would probably never change. Even though they fought he always knew in the end they would come through. Lately though he doubted everything they had built together. It scared him in ways no one would ever understand, not even her.

Thinking about all this he got up from his leather chair and walked out of his office. He traveled down the elevator stopping to wish a couple of people happy holidays and then headed out onto the busy streets of New York. The wind was cold and bitter and he knew he had a long way to walk. He needed the long walk though to clear his mind. He knew he would have to let her down like he had been doing lately and wondered why she always put up with it. He knew in his mind it was simply because she was a better person than he would ever be.

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She was almost home and she was glad. Snow had started to fall and she could feel the Christmas spirit in the air and she could feel the smile on her face. Besides the fact that her husband had been a no show she was still happy that they would have Christmas together. He had told her earlier in the week that he would be taking off from work and she hadn't been that happy in months.

She came around the corner to where they lived. They lived in a small building in the Upper East Side of New York City. From where she was turning the corner she saw her husband also turning the corner on the other side of the street. He was on his cell phone like he always was and she had to let out a frustrated huff.

"Yea, no I have the flight booked. It leaves in two hours. Yes, Vanessa is going with me. I don't know she wanted to see how to deal. No sorry I won't be in the office on Christmas, I promised my wife. Okay, see you then," Chuck ended the phone call and saw Blair across the street. He looked before crossing and quickly made his way over to her.

"Hey," he said not knowing how to start the conversation.

"Hi," she responded.

He looked at her and she had never looked more beautiful. She had a certain glow around her and he knew many men could only wish to be with her and somehow he was the lucky one.

She looked at him actually surprised to see him this early at night. He looked tired and somehow handsome at the same time. His messy hair only added compliments to his amazing bone structure, the bone structure that she knew made many women go crazy for.

"Is this our tree?" Chuck asked while staring at probably the ugliest tree he had ever seen.

Blair gave him a look, "yes, this is our tree. Do you not like it?" She asked even though she knew he had absolutely no authority to judge since he had not gone with her.

"Oh, uh yea it's fine," he saw her face go down. "Really Blair it's good." He said while taking the tree from her.

He carried the tree up to the door of the building and opened the door for her. They had three flights of stairs to go and he didn't know if he could make it. The tree was giving him splinters all over the place.

"Lily come back here," Blair and Chuck heard their neighbor, Ms. Brady yell from up the stairs.

"I got her Ms. Brady," Blair answered as she picked up the small dog.

Chuck rolled his eyes. Blair was too good for her own good. Blair had a different job every day and all of her work did something better for the world. He didn't even know where she was half the time because of her busy schedule. One day it was working at the shelter and another day it was helping kids with disabilities.

"Chuck the tree goes in the living room," she said while taking Lily back to Ms. Brady, the ninety year old who lived on the same floor as them.

Chuck walked into their place. It was big for the building they lived in. They had lived in the same place for all of their marriage. They had fallen in love with the place the first time they saw it. The kitchen was set off to the side where Blair spent most of her time. The living room consisted of three chairs and one huge couch. There was a long hallway that led to their room plus another bedroom. They had one bathroom, which connected, to their bedroom.

He looked around the living room and put their tree in the usual spot, right by the window that looked out onto the city. He saw Blair come in and shut the door behind her. She had looked pissed off and cold when he had caught up to her. He knew when he told her about the trip she could possibly hate him for life.

"Have a good excuse for not coming this year?" She asked. She tried to sound like she was joking, but Chuck knew it came out colder than she wanted it too.

"I got caught up," he responded.

Blair nodded. "At least we can decorate our tree together." She said smiling at him. "Do you remember where we put the decorations from last year?"

He took her in and could tell that she really wanted him here. Maybe he was the one giving up on her and somehow that thought killed him. He knew he needed to go to this business deal though for the sake of many things. This deal his dad had been working on for many years and had never gotten to finish. Chuck was determined to finish it for him.

"Yea, I think I put them in the closet in our room. Listen, Blair I need to tell you something." He said not looking at her and focusing all his attention on the tree.

"Okay what is it?" She asked concerned.

"You know that business deal that my father had been working on for years?" Blair nodded. "Yea, uh the deal is going through and I am set to leave out at eleven sharp."

"Tonight?" It was now Chuck's turn to nod his head. "Chuck its Christmas." She tried to protest.

"Not for three whole days," he said trying to reason with her. "I will be back on Christmas Eve."

She looked at him and knew this had always meant a lot to him. She just had to wonder if she meant nothing to him anymore. She knew that wasn't true though. At least they hadn't fought yet tonight. That was definitely a step up from were they usually where at this time.

She gave in. "Okay," she said defeated.

He looked back while going to pack his things. He could see she looked sad about the revelation about him not being home to celebrate with her. He had to keep reminding himself about the deal though and how his father had wanted this.

He didn't pack much knowing that he needed to get on to the airport. He came back into the living room, bags in hand, and found her putting their ornaments on the tree.

"Looks good," he commented.

She turned to look at him and she knew he was ready to leave. This would be their first Christmas with them not together. She knew in her mind he would be back to celebrate really, but it still felt like they wouldn't be together somehow.

"Thanks, I guess you should be off now," she said after a moment.

He put his things down and slowly made his way over to her. He hadn't kissed her lips in a long time and he needed it. He took his right hand and cupped her cheek. Her head immediately formed into his hand. He lifted her head slightly and gave her a gentle kiss.

"I love you," he said after the kiss.

She paused a little from shock. She hadn't heard him say those words in days. It felt good and she welcomed it.

"Me too," she responded.

He turned away from her and grabbed his bags and shut the door behind him. He knew it was hard on her and he felt guilty for the things he had done to her. He kept walking to the cab though and never looked back.

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